Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure those managing common land will be eligible to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier Scheme in 2027.

Defra understands the importance of Commons and recognises the importance of bringing them under these schemes. For technical reasons, commons groups will not be able to apply for SFI on common land when the application window opens later this month or apply for a CSHT agreement on common land at this stage. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is working on a solution to this issue, assessing how common land applications can be made in the schemes, and actively exploring both off and on system options for CSHT, testing feasibility. Once this assessment is complete, the RPA will communicate its planned approach, including any implications for SFI to stakeholders and potential agreement holders with common land.